The IRA has chillingly warned people to stay away from police targets as they launch fresh bids to kill.

The stark threat comes as the group says it was behind Sunday’s Derry mortar bomb attempt to blow up officers in a PSNI Land Rover

They vowed in a statement to the Daily Mirror: “The IRA remain committed to attacks against state forces and their agents in Ireland.

“We want to take this opportunity to remind civilians to keep their distance travelling near PSNI and British Army vehicles.”

Their warning comes after two people, who were travelling behind the targeted PSNI vehicle, escaped injury when the rear window of their car was blown out by the Explosively Formed Penetrator mortar style device.

The IRA has said it was behind the attempt to kill police officers in the attack.

The PSNI armour-plated Land Rover had its rear door blasted off and police chiefs said their officers were lucky to escape the incident in the Creggan Heights with their lives.

The windows of a passing car were blown in by the blast

The statement read: “IRA volunteers struck a PSNI vehicle with an EFP mortar style device triggered by a command wire.

“Despite being heavily-armed PSNI officers fled following a direct hit. The attack further demonstrated the increasingly sophistication and ingenuity of the IRA volunteers in developing these devices.

“The IRA remain committed to attacks against state forces and their agents in Ireland.

“Britain will continue to pay the price for her illegal occupation of the six counties and the continued denial of national self determination.

“We want to take this opportunity to remind civilians to keep their distance travelling near PSNI and British Army vehicles.”

That stark warning comes after two members of the public, who were travelling behind Sunday’s targeted PSNI vehicle, escaped injury when the rear window of their car was blown out by the blast.

A republican source also revealed Semtex explosives were used in the attack.

The fact that the group has such sophisticated devices and explosives in its arsenal has become an added security headache to M15 and the PSNI.

Senior police bosses have already spoken of their fears over the level of expertise and equipment the IRA are able to draw measuring the current threat at “severe”.

They also believe an experienced bomb-maker is now operating within its ranks.

It’s not the first time this level of weaponry and technology has been used by the group.

In March this year an EFP device was launched using a command wire in an attack on a PSNI Land Rover on the Falls Road in West Belfast.

Once again officers narrowly escaped injury and following that attack the IRA claimed it had used new supplies of Semtex and equipment.

Sunday’s Derry blast was widely condemned by politicians across the party divide with Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness denouncing the attack.

But the IRA statement rejected the political condemnation, instead criticising those politicians taking part in the Remembrance Day commemorations this weekend.

“The Irish people will rightly contrast this condemnation with the participation of the politicians at the British Army commemorations this weekend in Derry and elsewhere.

“The same British Army that slaughtered our people, comrades and communities to occupy our country.”

The paramilitary group was formed in 2012 when members of the Real IRA, Derry based Republican Action Against Drugs and non-affiliated republicans from Co Armagh and East Tyrone joined forces.